Fire causes meeting to be abandoned

A freak electrical fire in one of the on-course light towers forced the abandonment of last night’s harness racing meeting at Leeton.

It occurred just prior to the fourth race on the program and meant the club was unable to proceed with the last four scheduled races.

A circuit had shorted and caused a small fire inside one of the towers. It shut down a bank of three lights in the back straight of the track.

“The race was just about to start and the horses were scoring up when the lights went out so the Stewards sent everyone back to the stables,” club official Bill Trembath said.

“Then another row of lights went out in the home straight so there was no way we could go on.”

“We got an electrician to take a look at it and could tell there had been a small fire in one of the poles. You could smell it too.”

The club began the process of repairing the light system today and expects the work to be completed in the coming days.

Last night’s unfortunate incident will not jeopardise the Leeton club’s next scheduled meeting on Tuesday, 7 September.

From HRNSW